SASSARI, 17 JUNE 2022 - WORLD DAY TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION AND DROUGHT

WORLD DAY TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION AND DROUGHT
                               SASSARI, 17 JUNE 2022
The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought (DD-day 2022), established by the United
Nations in 1994, promotes public awareness of international efforts to fight desertification, which is the loss
of soil fertility and the resulting degradation of natural resources caused by human activities (pollution,
excessive soil exploitation, overgrazing, deforestation, fire, irrigation with saline water). The Day is a unique
moment to remind us that involvement and cooperation among communities at every level are essential to
combat soil degradation.
This year’s theme is focused on drought: “Rising up from drought together”. From 1970 on, 50% of all
disasters and 45% of the associated 650,000 deaths, have been caused by extreme climate events and water
crises. Tragically, 9 out of 10 of these deaths happened in developing countries, where drought is the main
cause of the loss of human lives (WMO, 2021). However, also developed countries witnessed a 29% increase
in drought-related events from 2000 to today, compared with previous decades. More than 2.3 billion people
suffer from water-related issues on a global scale. The impact is particularly serious for the weakest
categories: women and children are the most exposed. Nevertheless, the consequences of drought on society,
ecosystems and the economy are underestimated.
Italy is not exempted from drought damages. Over the last five years, at least three extreme drought events
happened, even in the Pianura Padana, where the capacity of the Po is altered by long periods of drought, as
well as by the reduction of high-altitude glaciers due to the increase in temperatures, which exceeded climate
averages of some decades ago by 2-3°C. The consequences are serious: among all, salinisation of aquifers
for tens of kilometres close to rivers’ mouths, with terrible risks in particular for agriculture.
In Sassari, the Department of Agronomic Sciences and the Desertification Research Centre at the
University (Viale Italia 39A) will celebrate DD-day 2022 with an international event which will involve
Anna Luise, member of the Science Policy Interface of the UN Convention on Desertification and Drought
(UNCCD); Marco Orlando, Programme Manager of the PRIMA Programme; the three coordinators of the
Projects on Desertification in the Mediterranean recently financed by PRIMA Foundation (MARA-
MEDITERRA, REACT4MED e SALAM-MED) and a young representation of the EWA BELT European
Project and of the Italian PhD on Sustainable Development and Climate Change.
The event has been organized in the context of “Sanai sa Terra” (“Heal the Earth” in Sardinian language),
a Summer School on the interactions between soil, plants and microorganisms in areas contaminated by
potentially toxic elements. The first part of the event will be in Italian. It will be dedicated to students, PhD
students, researchers, and agronomists, and it will cover topics related to the PRIN RIZOBIOREM National
Project on the recovery of degraded and polluted soils. RIZOBIOREM developed low-cost, nature-based soil
reconditioning techniques and solutions (Sanai sa Terra) with the combined use of organic soil conditioners,
plants and microorganisms.
It is possible to register for the event on the School website: https://bit.ly/sanaisaterra. The event will take
place in a hybrid format with the possibility to take part remotely via Microsoft Teams at
https://bit.ly/DD-day2022.

                    Università degli Studi di Sassari Viale Italia 39A - 07100 Sassari - Italia

PROGRAMME 17 June 2022

Location: “Aula Barbieri”, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari – Viale
Italia 39A, 07100 Sassari

Session 1 (in Italian) – The RIZOBIOREM Project
9:15   Institutional greetings
9:30   Massimo Fagnano and the RIZOBIOREM team: “Phytostabilization of Polluted Soils”
10:45 Coffee break

Session 2 (in English) - International Webinar: “Rising Up from Drought Together”
11:15 A. Luise, ISPRA, ISPRA, UNCCD Scientific-technical Correspondant, Science & Policy to
      combat desertification
11:30 M. L. Tefera – EWA-BELT and the international PhD “Desertification and Land
      Degradation”
11:40 C. Ceseracciu – SUSTAIN COAST and the national PhD “Sustainable Development and
      Climate Change”
11:50 M. Orlando, PRIMA Foundation: “PRIMA Projects on Land Degradation and
      Desertification”
12:00 V. Takavakoglou, MARA MEDITERRA
12:15 M. Thrassyvoulos, REACT4MED
12:30 P.P. Roggero, University of Sassari, SALAM MED

Session 3 (in English) – In memory of Prof. Giorgio Ghiglieri
12:45 M. Iannetta (ENEA), A. Carletti (UNISS), M. Ouessar (IRA): “Rising Up from Drought
      Together: the Contribution of Prof. Giorgio Ghiglieri”

13:15 Conclusions
                                       Organizing Committee

                                     Stefania Diquattro, UNISS
                                    Pier Paolo Roggero, UNISS
                                    Massimo Fagnano, UNINA
                                       Paola Castaldi, UNISS
                                      Giovanni Garau, UNISS
                                    Nunzio Fiorentino, UNINA
                                    Maria Vittoria Pinna, UNISS
                                       Matteo Garau, UNISS
                                       Mario Deroma, UNISS
                                     Gian Paolo Lauro, UNISS
                                      Caterina Senette, UNISS
                          Info: Stefania Diquattro: sdiquattro@uniss.it

                Università degli Studi di Sassari Viale Italia 39A - 07100 Sassari - Italia

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                Università degli Studi di Sassari Viale Italia 39A - 07100 Sassari - Italia